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ML00072 - Jan.2018

Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint

Micrographic detail of the X65 pipe, 5/8" thickness, in the longitudinal section.In the center of the pipe thickness there is a segregation band of bainitic structure. The cracking was not associated to the pipe but to the other side, the forged connector.

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Micrographic detail of the X65 , 5/8" thickness, in the .In the center of the thickness there is a segregation band of bainitic . The was not associated to the but to the other side, the forged connector.
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Material

Low Alloy Medium Carbon QT
  • UNS G41300
  • API 5L grade X65
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Description

An internal discontinuity was detected by UT (ultrasonic test) in a between a connector and a longitudinal seamwelded , after all manufacturing processes, including , and final machining. The metallurgical analyzsis of the discontinuity revealed that it is a small characterized as a , at the connector side. The region where the appeared showed aspects, not typical for a forging.

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Chemistry (% in weight)

Connector Base Metal

0.31C; 0.25Si; 0.58Mn; 0.016P; 0.013S; 1.02Cr; 0.03Ni; .022Mo.

Pipe Base Metal

0.12C; 0.19Si; 1.45Mn; 0.017P; 0.006S; 0.04Cr; 0.03Ni; 0.11Mo.

Weld Metal

0.13C; 0.54Si; 1.25Mn; 0.015P; 0.012S; 0.42Cr; 0.64Ni; 0.30Mo.

Associated Images
The macrography of a longitudinal section of the pipe and connector, at the welded joint, shows that the welding was conducted from both side of the groove, starting from the ID and finishing from the OD, ID later machined flush. The cracking was detected by ultrasonic test and the macro shows that it is at the fusion line, growthing into the weld metal. See the schematic drawing in the next figure
535
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - NItal Etched MacroDf - Longitudinal Section
Schematic drawing presenting the longitudinal section of the pipe and connector at the welded joint
105
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Identification drawingDf - Longitudinal Section
Hot cracking at the fusion line of the connector side, in a welded joint between a forging and a pipe, in a macrographic sample. The region of the heat affected zone of the connector presents a dendritic aspect suggesting that the forging reduction rate of the connector was not too high and did not broke the cast structure.
110
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - NItal Etched MacroDf - Welded Joint
The connector was welded to the pipe from both (internal and external) sides, a PWHT was applied and the part was machined. The UT indication was detected during final inspection.
78
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Micrography of the welded joint fusion line presenting the liquation cracking. The weld metal is in the right side (bottom) and the forged connector heat affected zone is in the left side (top).
83
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Cracking
The liquation crack is a hot crack in the base metal (at the HAZ) that induces a solidification crack in the weld metal.
66
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Weld Metal
Micrographic detail of the cracks at the fusion line of the welded joint, at the connector side. The cracking presents morphology of melting regions of impurities at grain boundaries of the large grains of the heat affected zone (HAZ).
57
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Fusion Line
The HAZ presents microcracks at previous austenite grain boundaries. These regions melted during welding and generated cracks associated to low melting temperature phases.
48
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Microcracks
The HAZ presents microcracks at previous austenite grain boundaries. These regions melted during welding and generated cracks associated to low melting temperature phases.
43
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Microcracks
Micrography of the AISI 4130 forging, 5/8" thickness, close to the welded region, in the longitudinal section.
42
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Base Metal Left Side
Micrographic detail of the AISI 4130 forging, 5/8" thickness, close to the welded region, in the longitudinal section.
45
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Base Metal Left Side
Micrographic detail of the AISI 4130 forging, 5/8" thickness, close to the welded region, in the longitudinal section. Bainitic and tempered martensitic structure.
47
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Martensite
Micrography of the X65 pipe, 5/8" thickness, in the longitudinal section.
45
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Base Metal Right Side
Micrographic detail of the X65 pipe, 5/8" thickness, in the longitudinal section.In the center of the pipe thickness there is a segregation band of bainitic structure. The cracking was not associated to the pipe but to the other side, the forged connector.
42
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Base Metal Right Side
Micrographic detail of the X65 pipe, 5/8" thickness, in the longitudinal section. The refined ferritic structure with bainitic bands is responsible for obtaining the 65 Ksi YS for a low carbon manganese ferritic structure.
48
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Banded Structure
Micrography of the weld metal of the last bead. Columnar morphology and refined ferritic structure.
47
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Weld Metal
Micrographic detail of the weld metal of the last bead. Columnar morphology and refined ferritic structure.
57
VIEW
ML00072 / Jan.2018
Liquation Cracks in a High Strength Joint
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - Longitudinal Seam Welded PipeAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Welding Defect
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Weld Metal